Democratic presidential hopeful Kamala Harris will unveil a plan on Friday to invest $ 60 billion in historically black colleges and universities if elected, the latest effort by the U.S. senator from California to reach out to black voters. Harris is one of two dozen Democrats in a field led by former Vice President Joe Biden seeking the Democratic nomination to challenge Republican President Donald Trump in the November 2020 election.

The son of a sheriff's deputy has been arrested in connection with fires that burned down three historically black churches in Louisiana, police say; Casey Stegall reports on what's known about the suspect.

U.S. Senator John Cornyn will no longer deliver the commencement address at Texas Southern University this weekend, the school said on Friday, after U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos was booed at another historically black university. More than 800 people signed a petition started by a Texas Southern University student who opposed the university’s invitation to the Republican senator to speak at Saturday’s graduation in Houston. The petition said Cornyn’s backing of DeVos and Attorney General Jeff Sessions, among other things, showed that he supported “discriminatory policies and politicians.” “We have the right to decide if we want to refuse to sit and listen to the words of a politician who chooses to use his political power in ways that continually harm marginalized and oppressed people,” the petition said.

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Drawing shouts of "Liar!" and "Just go," Education Secretary Betsy DeVos powered through her commencement address Wednesday at a historically black university, even as many of the graduating students turned their backs to her in protest.

It's unclear what administrators at Bethune-Cookman University were imagining when they invited Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos to speak at their student's commencement ceremony, but it's far easier to guess what their students thought of the choice: No. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos was greeted with a deafening chorus of boos from students when she delivered her commencement speech at the historically black university on Wednesday. Some students turned their backs on the secretary and did everything they could to communicate their dissent. SEE ALSO: How to style your vagina so it's no longer a pre-existing condition At some points during the speech, the boos became so loud that the secretary had to pause. In normal circumstances, we'd suggest you listen to the full speech but, honestly, who ever listens to a full commencement speech. So just soak in these beautifully awkward moments of the students making their voices heard instead. Ppl screaming and booing as Betsy DeVos begins her address to Bethune-Cookman graduates. Many in graduating class have turned backs on her — Antonia Hylton (@ahylton26) May 10, 2017 "GO HOME" someone yells. — adam harris (@AdamHSays) May 10, 2017 Twitter, too, had its own congratulations to send to the Bethune-Cookman students. Live shot of me Milly Rocking to the soundtrack of Bethune Cookman's graduating class booing Betsy Devos earlier today pic.twitter.com/1AElI7PK25 — Matthew A. Cherry (@MatthewACherry) May 10, 2017 We've heard Betsy Devos extensively. She's not qualified to lead a line of kindergarteners back from lunch. t.co/pOH3eGdgbh — Benjamin Dixon (@BenjaminPDixon) May 10, 2017 If you're having a bad day, I suggest watching Betsy DeVos getting loudly booed by brave #BethuneCookman students. Our youth know what's up. pic.twitter.com/El8mO68LYA — Jason Pollock (@Jason_Pollock) May 10, 2017 My reaction to the graduates that turned their backs on Betsy DeVos during her commencement speech… #CongratsGrads pic.twitter.com/zkb3yTsYIP — Simar (@sahluwal) May 10, 2017 After the university announced in early May that DeVos would speak, over 50,000 people signed a petition to have her removed. Alumni of the school have even offered to mail back their degrees. The education secretary hasn't exactly demonstrated a depth of knowledge about the history of race and education in America. In February, Betsy DeVos came under fire for misspelling the revered black historian W.E.B. Dubois' name in a tweet. Later that month, DeVos appeared to confuse school choice with school segregation. "HBCUs are real pioneers when it comes to school choice," DeVos said in a statement. Historically black colleges, it shouldn't have to be said, were built because students of color were denied entrance to all-white universities — not because of vouchers, which didn't exist yet. In April, DeVos rolled back Obama-era protections for student loan borrowers, which didn't exactly make her popular among … students. None of that stopped the university from inviting DeVos to speak and awarding her an honorary doctorate. Which made everyone long for the days when commencement speeches were delivered by random teachers reading fromOh, The Places You'll Go. Oh, and a new education secretary. WATCH: This smart pillow can track your sleep and gently wake you up